DEMOCRAT ONE-PARTY RULE: LIES AND A DESPERATE FRENZY TO RAISE TAXES BY $10 BILLION

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – As the end of Minnesota’s legislative session draws near, Democrats are breaking their campaign promises to give Minnesotans more of their money back – while ramming through nearly $10 billion in tax increases behind closed doors and cutting Republicans out of negotiations. The Republican Party of Minnesota issued the statement below:

“During last year’s campaign, DFLers Gov. Tim Walz and Speaker Melissa Hortman held a press conference promising to give Minnesotans thousands of dollars in rebate checks with our state’s massive budget surplus. But their latest budget proposal shows that Walz and Hortman’s campaign stunt was a lie. At the time, the surplus was $7 billion and Walz himself said it was ‘unconscionable’ to sit on such a large sum. Yet now, with the surplus more than twice that size, the Democrats have decided to spend it instead of giving it back.

“Since the Democrats took office with one-party rule, they’ve broken promise after promise and shut Republicans out, silencing the elected representatives of nearly half of our state. From rebate checks to Social Security taxes and more, the Democrats lied to win the election. Now they are using their narrow majority to push their partisan agenda of tax hikes and spending sprees. Walz even claims the latest budget bill is a compromise – but with who, himself? Democrats have completely shut Republicans out of negotiations. They even spent Mother’s Day behind closed doors to kill a tax break on baby products for working families.

“Meanwhile, Democrat Speaker Hortman is trying to ram through their $10 billion tax hike in a rush to attend her Harvard class reunion. The Democrats are only interested in their own selfish priorities and couldn’t care less about keeping their word and doing what is right for our state.” – Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman David Hann

BACKGROUND

Democrats are ramming through nearly $10 billion in tax increases despite a record-breaking budget surplus.

“By the time you add all the Democrat tax increases together, we’re looking at nearly $10 billion in tax and fee hikes on the people of Minnesota.” (Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus, Twitter, 5/18/23)

Walz and Hortman held a press conference promising to use the state’s massive surplus to give Minnesotans rebate checks of $2,000 per couple and $1,000 per individual.

“It is simply unconscionable to be sitting on $7 billion while Minnesotans are trying to make those bill payments.” – Gov. Tim Walz (WCCO CBS Minnesota, Governor Walz announces plan to give surplus back to Minnesotans, 6/22/22)

Gov. Tim Walz claims the latest Democrat budget proposal is a compromise, but the Democrats have only been negotiating with themselves:

Many Democrats campaigned on eliminating Minnesota’s taxation of Social Security benefits, but the budget deal Democrats have reached with themselves doesn’t fully eliminate MN’s Social Security Tax

“Meanwhile, couples earning up to $100,000 in annual income will be exempt from state tax on their Social Security income. Some Democrats campaigned on fully exempting that income from taxes.” (Briana Bierschbach, Star Tribune, Minnesota Democrats strike a deal on rebate checks, credits and Social Security tax cuts, 5/17/23)

Democrats spent Mother’s Day behind closed doors in conference committee to kill a tax break on baby products for working families

“That exemption for sales taxes for more baby products that passed both #mnleg chambers? No longer in either Senate or House offer on the tax bill, per latest breakdown.” (Torey Van Oot, Axios, Twitter, 5/14/23)

Walz and the Democrats are working on raising the gas tax on Minnesotans

“Gov. Tim Walz says he’s open to increasing the gas tax if the legislature proposes it. He made those comments after learning legislative negotiators are considering a plan to tie future increases to inflation.” (Tom Hauser, KSTP TV, Twitter, 5/17/23)

The Democrat Chair of the Senate Tax Committee agrees that her party has an insatiable appetite for tax increases:

“We seem to have an insatiable appetite for raising taxes.” – Sen. Ann Rest (D-New Hope) (MN House GOP War Room, Twitter, 5/12/23)

House Democrat Speaker Melissa Hortman is rushing to end the session to attend a Harvard class reunion

“Hortman said she wants to attend a class reunion at Harvard University’s Kennedy School next weekend, giving her personal motivation to see the Legislature finish its work early.” (Ryan Faircloth, Star Tribune, As Minnesota Legislature enters final week, Democrats race to finish priorities, 5/13/23)

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